Definitions

Ark. Code Ann. § 6-60-1603 — under General Provisions.

Ark. Code Ann. § 6-60-1603

(1) As used in this subchapter:(1) “Accreditation” means the status of public recognition that an accrediting agency grants to an educational institution;(2) “Accrediting agency” means a legal entity or part of a legal entity that:(A) Conducts accrediting activities; and(B) Makes decisions about the accreditation or pre-accreditation status of educational institutions;(3) “Affirm, adopt, or adhere to” includes communicative speech or act or action, including without limitation:(A) Engaging in symbolic speech;(B) Holding signs;(C) Raising hands;(D) Signing a pledge; or(E) Participating in a parade, “privilege walk”, or racially segregated activity of any sort;(4) “Compel” means:(A) Causing or pressuring an individual to perform an act or action against his or her will; or(B) Retaliating against an individual who declines to perform an act against his or her will;(5) “Diversity, equity, and inclusion initiative” or “DEI” means:(A) An office, division, department, or administrative provider of a unit of study at a state-supported institution of higher education with the purpose of:(i) Influencing academic, administrative, hiring, or employment practices at the state-supported institution of higher education;(ii) Promoting: (a) Preferences based upon race, color, sex, ethnicity, or national origin; (b) Differential treatment on the basis of race, color, sex, ethnicity, or national origin; or (c) Political or social activism to consider race, color, sex, ethnicity, or national origin as factors in decision-making, except where required by federal or state law; or(iii) Any promotion described in subdivision (5)(A)(ii) of this section that conflicts with state and federal antidiscrimination laws; or(B) Any program, activity, applicant statement, or training described in § 6-60-1604 that promotes an activity described in subdivision (5)(A)(ii) of this section;(6) “State-supported institution of higher education” means a public postsecondary institution or a department in a public postsecondary institution that:(A) Provides:(i) An eligible program of training to prepare students for gainful employment in a recognized occupation; or(ii) A program leading to a baccalaureate degree or a graduate degree; and(B) Is accredited by a recognized accrediting agency or association and has continuously held the accreditation for the number of years required by the Division of Higher Education; and(7) “Unit of study” means a class, single component, or subject offered by a state-supported institution of higher education for the completion of a degree or that leads to a postsecondary award, including academic credit, or for the purposes of auditing a class.

(1) “Accreditation” means the status of public recognition that an accrediting agency grants to an educational institution;

(2) “Accrediting agency” means a legal entity or part of a legal entity that:(A) Conducts accrediting activities; and(B) Makes decisions about the accreditation or pre-accreditation status of educational institutions;

(A) Conducts accrediting activities; and

(B) Makes decisions about the accreditation or pre-accreditation status of educational institutions;

(3) “Affirm, adopt, or adhere to” includes communicative speech or act or action, including without limitation:(A) Engaging in symbolic speech;(B) Holding signs;(C) Raising hands;(D) Signing a pledge; or(E) Participating in a parade, “privilege walk”, or racially segregated activity of any sort;

(A) Engaging in symbolic speech;

(B) Holding signs;

(C) Raising hands;

(D) Signing a pledge; or

(E) Participating in a parade, “privilege walk”, or racially segregated activity of any sort;

(4) “Compel” means:(A) Causing or pressuring an individual to perform an act or action against his or her will; or(B) Retaliating against an individual who declines to perform an act against his or her will;

(A) Causing or pressuring an individual to perform an act or action against his or her will; or

(B) Retaliating against an individual who declines to perform an act against his or her will;

(5) “Diversity, equity, and inclusion initiative” or “DEI” means:(A) An office, division, department, or administrative provider of a unit of study at a state-supported institution of higher education with the purpose of:(i) Influencing academic, administrative, hiring, or employment practices at the state-supported institution of higher education;(ii) Promoting: (a) Preferences based upon race, color, sex, ethnicity, or national origin; (b) Differential treatment on the basis of race, color, sex, ethnicity, or national origin; or (c) Political or social activism to consider race, color, sex, ethnicity, or national origin as factors in decision-making, except where required by federal or state law; or(iii) Any promotion described in subdivision (5)(A)(ii) of this section that conflicts with state and federal antidiscrimination laws; or(B) Any program, activity, applicant statement, or training described in § 6-60-1604 that promotes an activity described in subdivision (5)(A)(ii) of this section;

(A) An office, division, department, or administrative provider of a unit of study at a state-supported institution of higher education with the purpose of:(i) Influencing academic, administrative, hiring, or employment practices at the state-supported institution of higher education;(ii) Promoting: (a) Preferences based upon race, color, sex, ethnicity, or national origin; (b) Differential treatment on the basis of race, color, sex, ethnicity, or national origin; or (c) Political or social activism to consider race, color, sex, ethnicity, or national origin as factors in decision-making, except where required by federal or state law; or(iii) Any promotion described in subdivision (5)(A)(ii) of this section that conflicts with state and federal antidiscrimination laws; or

(i) Influencing academic, administrative, hiring, or employment practices at the state-supported institution of higher education;

(ii) Promoting: (a) Preferences based upon race, color, sex, ethnicity, or national origin; (b) Differential treatment on the basis of race, color, sex, ethnicity, or national origin; or (c) Political or social activism to consider race, color, sex, ethnicity, or national origin as factors in decision-making, except where required by federal or state law; or

(a) Preferences based upon race, color, sex, ethnicity, or national origin;

(b) Differential treatment on the basis of race, color, sex, ethnicity, or national origin; or

(c) Political or social activism to consider race, color, sex, ethnicity, or national origin as factors in decision-making, except where required by federal or state law; or

(iii) Any promotion described in subdivision (5)(A)(ii) of this section that conflicts with state and federal antidiscrimination laws; or

(B) Any program, activity, applicant statement, or training described in § 6-60-1604 that promotes an activity described in subdivision (5)(A)(ii) of this section;

(6) “State-supported institution of higher education” means a public postsecondary institution or a department in a public postsecondary institution that:(A) Provides:(i) An eligible program of training to prepare students for gainful employment in a recognized occupation; or(ii) A program leading to a baccalaureate degree or a graduate degree; and(B) Is accredited by a recognized accrediting agency or association and has continuously held the accreditation for the number of years required by the Division of Higher Education; and

(A) Provides:(i) An eligible program of training to prepare students for gainful employment in a recognized occupation; or(ii) A program leading to a baccalaureate degree or a graduate degree; and

(i) An eligible program of training to prepare students for gainful employment in a recognized occupation; or

(ii) A program leading to a baccalaureate degree or a graduate degree; and

(B) Is accredited by a recognized accrediting agency or association and has continuously held the accreditation for the number of years required by the Division of Higher Education; and

(7) “Unit of study” means a class, single component, or subject offered by a state-supported institution of higher education for the completion of a degree or that leads to a postsecondary award, including academic credit, or for the purposes of auditing a class.